Are home windows closing for Lakers, Clippers? Plus, your WNBA postseason replace
Posted inFan Club

Are home windows closing for Lakers, Clippers? Plus, your WNBA postseason replace

No Comments

The Bounce Newsletter :basketball: | That is The Athletic’s day by day NBA e-newsletter. Join right here to obtain The Bounce immediately in your inbox.

If that is it for Diana Taurasi, she’s had probably the most spectacular basketball careers everand is one of many coldest rivals of all time. Salute, DT!

L.A. Story

Will Lakers, Clippers matter for proper causes?

Within the “John Wick” film franchise, a part of the lore of its titular character is that he obtained out of the hitman/murderer enterprise by finishing an inconceivable job. It helped arrange Viggo Tarasov’s empire, and it allowed Wick to maneuver on to a traditional life. Wick’s willpower and singular deal with what’s vital to him allowed him to perform the inconceivable.

The extra I take a look at the Western Convention panorama going into the 2024-25 season, the extra it appears to be like like any crew attempting to achieve the NBA Finals on that facet of the bracket should accomplish the inconceivable. (May I’ve as an alternative in contrast this problem to some other work of fiction? Sure, however then I wouldn’t have gotten to kind a paragraph about John Wick.) It’ll be even more durable than what Dallas managed to do just a few months in the past by profitable the West.

Two examples are the 2 groups within the second-biggest market: The Lakers and the Clippers have inconceivable duties in entrance of them.

The nice for the Lakers:

The dangerous for the Lakers:

I’ve been questioning aloud (or, no less than, aloud on this e-newsletter) what we’d take into consideration the Lakers’ contending possibilities if the Nuggets didn’t exist as their roadblock. Would we take them extra critically? Or have they really maximized what is affordable to anticipate? And the way will their method change this season?

Redick has already come out and mentioned he’s going to make use of the beginning lineup of LeBron, AD, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. The Lakers had been 20-10 (once you rely Play-In and playoffs) when that lineup began final 12 months. That’s a 54-win tempo, which might’ve secured the No. 7 seed.

In recent times, the Lakers have been extra of a sideshow than Lake Present, and they should change that narrative as we probably get to the tip of the LeBron period. I’m unsure how a lot of that chaos dies down with Bronny James on the squad, including one other aspect of distraction. Are the Lakers merely relegated to combating by means of the Play-In Event and hoping they don’t face Denver? Or can they be greater than that? Then, there’s the different crew in LA …

The nice for the Clippers:

The dangerous for the Clippers:

It’s honest to marvel if the Clippers may even keep within the Play-In Event territory within the West, contemplating Memphis might be again with a wholesome Ja Morant and Houston is prepared to kick the door off the hinges. Not having PG round to assist carry the franchise whereas Leonard is attempting to get wholesome will make this more durable than final season, when Leonard performed 68 video games.

For years, we simply hoped to see this crew wholesome within the playoffs and possibly the “title contender on paper” standing would present up on the courtroom. Now? Are you able to assure it finishes within the prime 10 within the West? By the best way, the Thunder have a choose swap with the Clippers for the 2025 draft.

The Newest From Shams

Derrick Rose retires; Kawhi Leonard replace

Derrick Rose is retiring after 16 NBA seasons and a profession that included a Rookie of the Yr honor and an MVP award at simply 22 years previous. Right here’s what Rose mentioned about his retirement in a press release to The Athletic:

“The subsequent chapter is about chasing my desires and sharing my development. I consider true success comes from turning into who you had been created to be, and I wish to present the world who I’m past basketball.

“Whether or not good or dangerous, everybody has a ‘What if’ story of their life. Even when I may, I wouldn’t change something in mine, as a result of it’s what helped me discover actual pleasure.”

For his profession, Rose, the No. 1 choose within the 2008 draft, averaged 17.4 factors and 5.2 assists over 723 regular-season video games.

Kawhi Leonard underwent a process on his knee within the offseason, league sources inform Legislation Murray and me. The Clippers mentioned Tuesday that Leonard, who missed 4 of LA’s six playoff video games final season and was withdrawn from Crew USA in July, might be restricted to strengthening his knee to start out coaching camp, however crew officers are optimistic about him.

Full Extension

Is it necessary to increase your star gamers?

As talked about above, the Clippers are, as soon as once more, coping with Leonard and his harm issues. His knee has failed him time and time once more, and, whereas lazy pundits wish to use him because the poster baby for load administration, the reality is Leonard merely hasn’t been wholesome because the 2016-17 season. Even within the title run for Toronto in 2019, Leonard was dragging his leg up and down the courtroom on the best way to the Larry O’Brien trophy. Regardless of full information of Leonard’s harm historical past and lack of availability, the Clippers prolonged his deal this previous January. The 33-year previous acquired a three-year deal for over $150 million.

It might need value the Clippers Paul George, contemplating they felt the monetary stress of the looming second-apron tax penalties sufficient to quote them as causes for not bringing PG again. They basically selected Leonard and now are again to hoping he may be wholesome for the playoffs.

It’s not the one latest instance of an injured star being prolonged. Joel Embiid simply inked a three-year, $192.9 million extension. He performed 39 video games final season and has by no means made 70 appearances in a season. However he’s additionally an MVP and top-of-the-line gamers on this planet. Jamal Murray simply obtained a four-year, $208 million extension from the Nuggets regardless of by no means being an All-Star or All-NBA. He additionally regarded horrible within the Olympics, has questions on his well being, and hasn’t performed in 70 video games since 2019 … however he helped them win a title in 2023.

We’re going to see comparable max extensions being thrown at Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, although there are questions on their sturdiness and availability. They’re additionally superior at their jobs. In a CBA world the place groups are petrified of the second-apron penalties, although, availability issues aren’t stopping them from throwing cash at injury-prone stars. They deal with the wage cap surrounding these extensions like I deal with ordering an excessive amount of sushi. “That’s an issue for future me, however we don’t care about future me proper now.”

Though the Clippers basically simply did it by letting George stroll, I can’t think about seeing groups persistently keep away from giving out these offers to injured gamers. It’s higher to hope and pray for well being moderately than retool a roster whereas attempting to not get fired.

WNBA Playoffs

4 sweeps pave method for semifinals

Should you had been hoping for some dynamic and dramatic best-of-three collection within the first spherical of the WNBA playoffs, I’ve dangerous information for you. It’s over. It’s achieved. The brooms achieved been damaged out for all 4 playoff collection. All 4 groups who gained on Sunday to open up the postseason closed out on Tuesday or Wednesday nights.

That is the place we stand with the WNBA playoffs heading into the semis.

    • The Acesshut out the Storm in two video games:A’ja Wilson had a light-weight 24 factors and 13 rebounds whereas Kelsey Plum lit up the Storm for 29 factors. Impulsively, a extremely good Storm squad is shipped house, and the Aces proceed their march towards the primary three-peat because the Comets from 1997-2000.
    • The Liberty ship the Dream house:Sabrina Ionescu lit up Atlanta with 36 factors on 12-of-23 from the sector and 5-of-11 from deep. She additionally had 9 assists and three steals. New York shook off a sluggish begin and shut down the Dream within the second half.

The Liberty and Aces will face off within the semifinals, beginning Sunday:Lots of people had been hoping for this as a finals matchup, however we’re getting it subsequent spherical. The Aces beat the Liberty within the finals 3-1 final 12 months. Prediction:Aces in 5.

As for the opposite facet of the bracket …

    • The Solarended Caitlin Clark’s season:I actually needed a 3rd sport on this collection as a result of it looks as if the groups legitimately don’t like one another. Each time Clark obtained caught up in some bodily positioning after a whistle, Marina Mabrey regarded able to throw down. Clark had a a lot better second sport (25 factors, 9 assists). And the Fever led with a couple of minutes left within the fourth. However the Solar had been too good and despatched Indiana house.
    • No one can guard Napheesa Collier:The Lynx star and MVP runner-up MVP dropped 38 in Sport 1. The Mercury most likely realized their lesson on methods to defend her higher for Sport 2, proper? Improper! Phee dropped 42 to ship the Mercury to their offseason, and probably ship Diana Taurasi to her retirement.

The Lynx and Solar will face off within the semifinals, beginning Sunday:The 2 finest defenses within the league will battle to see who goes to the WNBA Finals. Prediction:Lynx in 4.

Bounce Passes

I’m absolutely ready for all Victor Wembanyama hyperbole in Yr 2.

Most-clicked in Monday’s e-newsletter:The Warriors’ subsequent steps.

(High picture: Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Pictures)

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *